Locomotive-boiler furnace.



I c. B. MOORE.

LOCOMOTIVE BOILER FURNACE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.14, 1912.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

- Z k qcmiisv (Part (Fawn? WW. JWWE. w wm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. MOORE, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS ASSIGNOR T0 AMERICAN ARCH COM- PANY,OF NEW'YORK, N. Y.,.A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LOCOMOTIVE-BOILER FURNACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

Application filed February 14, 1912. Serial No. 677,564.

State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive- Boiler Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in locomotive furnaces and has particular reference to improvements in refractory baffies 'or firebox deflectors commonly called arches for directing and modifying the flow of firebox gases.

The general objects of my invention are to provide a refractory arch which can be quickly and easily installed in a locomotive firebox; to provide an arch which shall be of light weight and low cost; to provide an arch which shall be easy to repair and the parts of which may be easily removed for the purpose of affording easy access to the flue sheet and side sheets of the firebox; and to provide an arch of a form that shall very materially retard and commingle the firebox gases and assist in igniting the unconsunied gases and fuel particles carried thereby.

Av further object of my invention is to pro vide an improved refractory arch construction having the characteristics herein outlined which shall be particularly adapted for installation and use in locomotive fireboxes which are equipped with a plurality of water-circulating arch tubes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sectional firebox arch. the individual parts of which shall be adapted for.

substantially self-balanced and laterally oscillatory pivotal mounting on parallel circulating tubes, the spacing of which tubes though substantially uniform may be somewhat variable.

A further object of my invention is to provide a light and flexible sectional firebox arch, the sections or panel bricks comprising I which shall be adapted to be pivotally balanced on supporting arch tubes and to be mutually supported laterally by one another in substantially continuous arch formation extending from side to side of the firebox. a

My invention consists in the several improvements, the various features of con struction and the combinations of parts by means of which the above and other objects are attained, and all as hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a locomotive firebox equipped with a refractory arch made in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the firebox on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the firebox on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4

is a transverse section of the arch on the line 44.- of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 isa transverse section similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified form of brick. This section corresponds to a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 7; Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the component firebricks constituting the main body of the arch; and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of brick such as shown in Fig. 5. x

My invention is capable of embodiment in arches occupying various positions in the firebox and having different functions and. although I have chosen to illustrate my invention as embodied in a front arch, it should be understood that my invention is not thus limited.

A locomotive firebox as illustrated in the drawings comprises a flue sheet 2, side sheets 3-3, rear sheet 4 and a crown sheet? The firebox is provided with a grate 6 in its lower part and the rear sheet is provided with a fuel-door openin .7. Flues 8 lead forward from the flue s act. The firebox illustrated is provided with a group of water-circulating tubes 9. These tubes generally project from the lower portion of the flue sheet and extend upwardly and rearwardly in an inclined position to the upper portion of the rear sheet and, serve to increase the circulation of water between the front and rear water legs of the boiler. A

so-called front arch is usually interposed between the fuel bed and the.fiues substantially in abutment with the flue sheet. The

arch is preferably spaced slightly apart therefrom by means of suitable spacing bricks for reasons hereinafter set forth.

One of the particular functions of the front arch is to baflie or obstruct the direct flow of the fuel gases from the fu 1 bed tothe fines and cause said gases to flow backgases and serving to retard the flow thereof J and to aid in the complete combustion of the fuel before the gases pass into the tines.

One of the characteristics of my improved arch, indicated on the drawings by numeral 10, is that it is made up of a pluralityof balanced or cantaliver bricks A arranged in longitudinal rows each resting centrally on a single arch tube 9, said bricks being so arranged that they extend also in transverse rows, adjacent bricks abutting one another and securing mutual support thereby and the side bricks abutting laterally against the side sheets 3. -i Vhen these bricks A are placed in position on the tubes 9 they are substantially locked together in their proper relation by gravity, one brick being held in upright balanced position by contact with its neighbor and all being held in such a manner that the arch as a whole has the permanent features of a solid arch, but still being in a sense flexible enough to accommodate itself to the ordinary expansion and contraction of thefirebox and permitting interchangeability of parts.

The sizeof the bricks other than that they must be long enough transversely when duly fitted together to form arches spanning the spaces between adjacent tubes are preferably formed as large as possible without being too heavy to handle conveniently and without being too large to be passed readily through the firebox door.

In the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4c and 6, the arch bricks A are substantially identical, each being substantially rectangular in plan and consisting of a central longitudinal body portion A having a bearing groove or socket A along its underside adapted to receive an arch tube 9, and upwardly and outwardly inclined side portions or wings A each formed wide enough to bridge half of the space between any two adjacent tubes and. having vertical, faced edges to abut squarely against corresponding similar portions of adjacent bricks, or against one of the side sheets 3 where the brick rests on an outer tube. Although I form these bricks substantially if-shaped, preferably these side portions or wings A are curved more or less with their concave sides facing downwardly so that the abutting Wing portions bridging the space between any two adjacent tubes form. a curved roof. These arched portions impart to the arch as a Whole a corrugated character, the corrugation Waves extending longitudinally with their tops substantially midway between the tubes 9. The bricks A being preferably as light as practicable and substantially uniform in thickness, the corrugated effect also appears on the upper side of the arch, though in some cases it may be found preferable to thicken somewhat the central or body portion A of the brick, thus making the corrugations on the upper side relatively shallow.

By forming the bricks -\l-shaped, as above described, with the outer lower corners under the wings cut away and with a grooved hollow space formed over the body between the wings, I secureextreme lightness combined with maximum strength.

In order to adapt the bricks for ordinary variations in the lateral spacing df'the supporting tubes, 1 preferably extend the Width of the tube receiving grooves A somewhat beyond the actual thickness of the tubes, 9, thus providing means for transverse adjustment of the bricks on the tubes. By having the grooves formed all of the same depth and having the upper side or bearing surface A' of the grooves formed substantiallyflat, I'secure a well matched and uni form surface for the arch as a whole.

The chiefly essential and characteristic features of construction of ,the bricks A are the low central support bearings A and the relatively high transversely facing shoulders of the Wings A for the mutual lateral support of abutting bricks. By this construction the mutual stability of the bricks is increased due to the angular elevation of the contact shoulders above the central support bearings whereby in any slight oscillatory peripheral movement of the shoulders about the bearing point their vertical movement is greatly reduced. Thus the bricks may rock more or less on their bearings for mutual adjustment without throwing abutting shoulders out of alinement. Although the tube retaining means may consist of two opposite shoulders or rows 0 shoulders spaced apart on the central underside of the brick with a space between them, I prefer on account of greater simplicity to form a longitudinal central groove in the underside of the brick.

I prefer that the bricks for my improved arch be formed of sufficient width to fit closely side by side and completely fill the arch space between the side sheets of the firebox. Under these conditions the individual bricks though oscillatorily mounted centrally on their lower sides will all naturally assume a. balanced upright position due to the mutual lateral support provided by the abutting shoulders on the wings A of the several bricks. As the end shoulders of relatively thick panel bricks are correspondingly high and as such bricks are most readily kept in alinement the wings A thereof only need be slightly inclined, but in order to assure abutting lateral alinement of the preferred relatively light thin bricks, I greatly increase the inclination of the wings. In short, within practical limits, the lighter and thinner I form the bricks the more I incline the wings and thus raise the shoulders. v

I sometimes provide downwardly projecting transverse web members or Walls B on the underside of the inclined wings B of the bricks, preferably at the ends, and at the center as shown on the modified form of brick, B, as in Fig. 7. By this means each brick B has on its underside a pocket section ll" and when the bricks are installed on the tubes the otherwise continuous arched corrugation waves extending longitudinally on the underside of the arch are divided by the abutting complementary wall elements B into a number of pockets separated by transverse partitions formed by the said depending wall or web members B. These.

pockets are especially useful for retarding and more thoroughly mixing the firebox gases as they rise from the bed of the fire and proceed upwardly along the underside of the arch, and thus suppressing smoke and insuring complete combustion of the fuel. These partition members B on adjacent bricks, being formed to abut squarely together. greatly increase the mutual bracmg or balancing power of. the bricks and very materially increase the stability of the arch as a whole. This feature is especially valuable in case of rough roadbeds or unskilled firing.

In order to hold the arch slightly away from the flue sheet 2, I provide spacing bricks C adapted to rest upon and be supported by the lower edge of the arch. These spacing bricks are relatively narrow and provide openings C therebetween and at the sides thereof for the escape downwardly into the firebox of einders and such other material as would otherwise tend to collect upon the upper side of the arch to the dot rimcnt of best efficiency.

In constructing an arch embodving my invention. I first place .one of the bricks A upon the lower end of one of the outer tubes 9', the outer side resting against the side sheet 3 and with a spacing brick C holding it out of contact with the flue sheet, 2. I then proceed to place other bricks A in line therewith transversely on the remaining tubes until a complete row is installed, the last brick resting at the outer edge against the opposite side sheet. I then add other rows one after another above the first row suflicient to provide an arch long enough to answer the purpose required, three rows usually sullicing to reach to substantially the center of the firebox, which length ordinarily produces the best results.

As many modifications of my invention will readily occur to persons skilled in the art, Im'ish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific strucftures shown and described herei 1 Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent;

1. A locomotive firebox having a plurality of inclined water-circulating tubes extending from the lower portion of the flue sheet to the upper portion of the rear sheet, in combination with an inclined refractory arch disposed above the tubes and resting thereon, said arch comprising a plurality of transverse rows of substantially identical iirebricks, each consisting of a central body portion grooved centrally on its underside to engage one of said tubes and. upwardly and. oppositely inclined side elements or wings laterally abutting against correspond- 10c ing parts of adjacent bricks and maintaining said bricks on the tubes.

9. In a locomotive firebox, a plurality of arch tubes, in combination with a plurality of transverse rows of substantially V-shaped 10:3 arch forming bricks, each comprising a downwardly pointing central body portion having a longitudinal groove at its lower edge to receive an arch tube, and upwardly divergent lateral side portions having ver- 110 tical edges adapted to fit squarely against adjacent similar bricks.

3. In a locomotive firebox a corrugated arch, comprising a plurality of transverse rows of V-shaped bricks each brick having 11:; a central longitudinal groove on its underside and having upwardly and outwardly extending side portions terminating in vertical edges adapted to abut squarely together at their longitudinal edges, in com- 120 bination with a plurality of arch tubes arranged to lie in said grooves and to support the arch.

4. In a flI'GbOX-H refractory arch comprising a plurality of transverse rows of 125 V-shaped bricks each brick having a depressed central longitudinal portion with a wide flat topped groove on its underside and all thereof being formed with thick vertical lateral edges adapted to abut squarely tol w gether for mutual support, in combination with a plurality of parallel arch tubes arranged to loosely fit in said grooves and support the several bricks composing the are 1.

5. A locomotive boiler fire box in combination with a group of water circulating tubes extending longitudinally therein and arranged in substantially a single plane, a refractory arch body extending from side to side in the fire boxand above the tubes, longitudinally extending depending refractory portions supporting the arch body on the tubes and provided with grooves to receive the tubes, said depending portions forming longitudinally extending grooves in the under surface of the arch between the tubes and the arch being provided with longitudinally extending grooves in its upper surface above said tubes.

6. A locomotive boiler nation with a plurality of waterj circulating tubes extending longitudinally therein and arranged in substantially a single plane, a refractory arch supported on said tubes and coi'nprising a plurality of transverse rows of refractory bricks provided with tube receiving grooves on their longitudinal medial lines and having their side portions curve upwardly and outwardly and the several bricks of each transverse row being adapted to have their lateral edges in contact, said bricks forming relatively wide longitudinal grooves in the under surface of the argh extending transversely from tube to to e.

7. A locomotive boiler fire box in combination with'a plurality of water circulating tubes extending longitudinally therein and arranged in sustantially a single plane, a refractory ar'ch supported on said tubes and comprising a plurality of transverse rows of refractory bricks provided with tube receiving grooves on their longitudinal medial lines and having their side portions curved upwardly and outwardly, and the several bricks of each transverse row being adapted to have their lateral edges in contact, said bricks forming relatively wide longitudinal grooves in the under surface of the arch extending between the tubes, and transverse partitions on the lower sides of said bricks dividing said longitudinal grooves into relatively small pockets. V i

8. In a. locomotive boiler fire box having a plurality of longitudinally extending tubes arranged in substantially a single plane in combination with a refractory arch therein,

supported by said tubes and comprising a plurality of transverse rows of bricks. each thereof having upwardly and outwardly extending oppositely disposed curved winged portions, a tube receiving groove in the lower surface of each brick between said winged portions, said bricks together forming an fire box in combiversely spaced water arch having relatively large longitudinal grooves or channels arranged between the tubes, and thin transverse partition walls on said bricks dividing the grooves into relatively small pockets.

9. In a locomotive boiler fire box a group of longitudinally extending water circulating tubes arranged substantially in a single lane and transversely spaced, a refractory arch therein resting on said tubes, said arch being relatively deeply corrugated on its upper and lower surfaces, the corrugations corresponding with the tubes, the lower edges of the corrugations being positioned over the tubes and resting thereon.

' 10. in a locomotive boiler fire box a group of longitudinally extending water circulating tubes arranged substantially in a single plane and transversely spaced, a refractory arch therein resting on said tubes, said arch being relatively deeply corrugated on its upper and lower surfaces, the corrugation corresponding with the tubes, the lower edges of the corrugations being positioned over the tubes and resting thereon, an transverse partitions arranged between the tubes in the lower corrugations dividing said corrugations into a plurality of relatively small pockets.

11. in a locomotive boiler fire box a plurality of longitudinally extending transersely spaced water circulating tubes arranged substantially in a single plane in combination with a refractory arch arranged above the tubes and extending from side sheet to side sheet, said arch being com-- posed of a plurality of bricks equal in width to the spacing of the tubes and arranged in abutment across the fire box, said bricks resting at their center lines upon said tubes and each end of each brick curving upwardly and outwardly from the tube upon which it rests, whereby the archis provided with relatively the tubes on its under side and similar corrugations extending above the tubes on its upper side.

12. in a locomotive boiler fire box a plurality of longitudinally extending transcirculating tubes arranged substantially in a single plane in combination with a refractory arch arranged above the tubes and extending from upper side, and partitions dividing the deep corrugations between lower corrugations into relatively small pockets. I

13. In a locomotive boiler fire box a refracto arch comprising a plurality of substantidfiy identical bricks arranged in'longitudinal rows in the fire box in combination with longitudinally extending water circulating tubes, one for each row of bricks, and arranged beneath the center lines of the rows of bricks, said bricks being provided with upwardly and outwardly fiarmg sides or wings adapted for mutual engagement above the plane of the tubes to hold the bricks against relative displacement.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 15 set my hand, this 24th day of January, 1912, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES B. MOORE. 

